Overview
Stand-up paddleboarding gives the Andaman reef a perspective that no other water activity produces. Snorkelling puts the face in the water and the reef is seen from inside it. A kayak puts the paddler 30 centimetres above the surface. A stand-up paddleboard puts the paddler on their feet — 1.5 to 2 metres above the water — and the view down through clear Andaman Islands water to the coral formations below at low tide on the Elephant Beach approach is a completely different experience from the same reef seen through a mask at surface level. The andaman paddleboarding package is built around three distinct SUP environments — the reef edge at Havelock where the shallow approach to Elephant Beach reveals the coral below from a standing position, the mangrove fringe along the eastern Havelock coast where the board moves slowly along the forest-water boundary, and the flat morning water of Bharatpur Bay on Neil Island before the day’s wind builds. Four SUP sessions across three days at Havelock and one morning at Neil Island give the paddleboarder on this andaman paddleboarding package more distinct Andaman water environments from a standing board than any single-site session can provide.
Bon Voyagers manages the complete ground programme from Port Blair Airport arrival. Day 1 covers Port Blair, the Cellular Jail and the North Bay glass bottom boat as a reef orientation before the SUP sessions begin. Day 2 takes the ferry to Havelock for the introductory afternoon session in calm flat water. Day 3 is the reef edge SUP morning at the Elephant Beach approach. Day 4 is the mangrove fringe SUP morning along the eastern Havelock coast. Day 5 crosses to Neil Island for the Bharatpur Bay flat water session before the return ferry and the departure. Vehicle transfers, ferry tickets and MAP meals are included. All SUP board hire, instructor and session fees are paid locally to registered operators.
Day-wise Itinerary
5-day travel plan — tap any day to view full details.
The andaman paddleboarding package begins at Port Blair Airport where the Bon Voyagers representative meets the group on arrival. The afternoon covers the Cellular Jail — built between 1896 and 1906 across seven radiating wings where political prisoners from across India were held. The evening light and sound show runs approximately 45 minutes after dark.
North Bay Island in the late afternoon is the reef orientation session for this andaman paddleboarding package — a glass bottom boat from Aberdeen Jetty over the reef closest to Port Blair. The glass bottom boat places the reef directly below the viewer through the floor panels of the vessel and is the closest surface experience to the standing paddleboard view that the andaman paddleboarding package delivers on Days 3 and 4. The reef seen from above through clear panels is the eye calibration before the SUP sessions begin — what the coral looks like from standing height over water before the board is under the feet. Overnight in Port Blair.
The private ferry from Port Blair to Havelock covers approximately 57 kilometres in around 1.5 to 2.5 hours. The afternoon after arriving at Havelock is the introductory SUP session for this andaman paddleboarding package — a one to one-and-a-half hour session in the calm flat water of the eastern Havelock channel near the hotel, guided by the operator’s instructor. The learning curve for first-time paddleboarders on flat water is typically 15 to 30 minutes from kneeling to standing — the wider the board the faster the transition and the operator selects board width appropriate to each participant’s build and experience.
The session establishes the paddle stroke, the stance width and the balance adjustment that the more demanding reef edge and mangrove sessions on Days 3 and 4 require. The first time standing on a SUP board in the Andaman channel water is the moment this andaman paddleboarding package begins in earnest. SUP hire and instructor charges paid locally. Overnight at Havelock.
The morning session on Day 3 of this andaman paddleboarding package is the reef edge — the shallow approach to Elephant Beach at low to mid tide when the coral formations are closest to the surface and the standing position on the board gives the clearest downward view through the water column. The board is paddled from the launch point along the northern Havelock coast to the Elephant Beach shallow zone — a paddle of approximately 30 to 45 minutes from the starting point — and the reef viewing begins where the water shallows over the coral gardens.
At 1.5 to 2 metres above the water surface on a standing board the reef below is visible in a way that is genuinely different from any boat-based view — the detail of the coral structure, the fish moving through the formations, the colour variation across the reef sections. The SUP board moves at the pace the paddler sets and can pause over a formation without the anchor requirement of a motorboat. SUP hire and session charges paid locally. Afternoon Radhanagar Beach. Overnight at Havelock.
The Day 4 morning session on this andaman paddleboarding package moves from the open reef edge to the mangrove fringe along the eastern Havelock coastline — a different SUP environment from Day 3 in every relevant way. Where the reef edge session was about the view below the board, the mangrove fringe session is about the view beside it — the root systems of the mangrove at water level, the forest edge where the tidal zone meets the trees, the waterbirds in the canopy above the paddler. The board moves along the forest boundary in water shallow enough to see the bottom, slow enough that the mangrove wildlife responds to the paddler’s presence the way it would respond to a floating log rather than a motorboat.
The mangrove fringe SUP is the quietest session of the andaman paddleboarding package — no engine, no group noise, the paddle stroke and the water the only sounds. Kalapathar Beach in the afternoon is the rocky eastern Havelock shore facing open water — the contrast to two days of calm western and northern water. SUP hire paid locally. Overnight at Havelock.
The ferry from Havelock to Neil Island takes approximately 30 to 60 minutes. Neil Island is the final SUP environment of this andaman paddleboarding package — Bharatpur Bay on the island’s eastern side, calm and shallow with the protected character of an eastern-facing bay that the Andaman Sea’s prevailing swell does not reach directly. The morning session at Bharatpur is the flattest water of the five days — a different pace from the Havelock sessions, Neil Island’s unhurried character extending to the board on the water.
The paddler who has been standing on a board in the Andaman Sea for three sessions by this morning is a different paddler from the one who wobbled in the eastern channel on Day 2 afternoon. The ferry from Neil Island back to Port Blair takes approximately 1 to 2 hours. The Bon Voyagers vehicle meets the group at Phoenix Bay Jetty and drops at Port Blair Airport. The andaman paddleboarding package ends on solid ground after four days of standing on water.
Map
Inclusions & Exclusions
WHAT'S INCLUDED
- Pickup and drop at Port Blair Airport on Day 1 and Day 5 respectively.
- All road and island transfers by private AC Ertiga or Xylo class six seater vehicle at Port Blair and Havelock Island as per the itinerary.
- Private ferry tickets in economy class from Port Blair to Havelock Island, Havelock Island to Neil Island and Neil Island to Port Blair.
- North Bay Island glass bottom boat tickets from Aberdeen Jetty on Day 1 afternoon.
- Four nights accommodation in deluxe hotel or resort on double sharing basis — Night 1 in Port Blair, Nights 2, 3 and 4 at Havelock Island.
- Daily breakfast and dinner at all hotels on MAP basis throughout all five days.
- Cellular Jail entry tickets and light and sound show tickets on Day 1 evening.
- All entry tickets and permit charges as per the itinerary.
- Meet and greet service at Port Blair Airport on arrival.
- Travel assistance by field executive throughout.
- All fuel, toll and parking charges for the private vehicle throughout the trip.
- Driver and vehicle allowances for the full trip duration — nothing extra owed on the road.
NOT INCLUDED
- Flight tickets to and from Port Blair are not included and are booked separately by the traveller.
- All SUP board hire, paddle, life jacket and instructor or guide fees for all four sessions — Day 2 afternoon introductory session, Day 3 reef edge session, Day 4 mangrove fringe session and Day 5 Neil Island session — paid directly to the registered SUP operator at Havelock and Neil Island.
- Lunch on any day throughout the trip.
- Personal expenses including laundry, tips, room service, telephone calls, shopping and beverages.
- Professional camera tickets at Cellular Jail and other monuments — paid separately on site.
- Any additional water sports activities beyond the SUP sessions — snorkelling equipment hire, sea walking, scuba introduction dive and kayaking charged locally if undertaken.
- Any additional sightseeing or extra vehicle use beyond what is listed in the itinerary.
- Costs arising from natural events including rough seas, ferry cancellations, SUP session cancellations due to wind or sea conditions or any changes to the programme beyond the operator’s control — to be borne by the traveller and paid directly on the spot.
- Any item not clearly listed under the inclusions above.
Best Time to Visit
Stand-up paddleboarding at Havelock is most reliable in the morning hours between October and May when the Andaman Sea around the island is calm before the afternoon southwest sea breeze builds. The monsoon from June through September produces sustained wind and chop that makes the open water reef edge and bay sessions on this andaman paddleboarding package impractical. The mangrove fringe session on Day 4 is somewhat sheltered but is also best in the calm morning hours. The Bharatpur Bay session at Neil Island is the most sheltered environment on the circuit and tolerates slightly more wind than the Elephant Beach approach, but the overall package is a November to April product when conditions across all four sessions are most consistently suitable.
Important Price & Package Conditions
- Prices are subject to availability and may vary based on travel dates, hotel selection, and seasonal demand.
- The actual price is reconfirmed at the time of booking. Discounts or deals may apply depending on ongoing promotions.
- Prices displayed do not include optional add-ons such as cab upgrades, special activities, or extra room categories unless mentioned.
- For group bookings, custom itineraries, or peak season travel, final pricing may differ. Please connect with our travel expert.
- 50% advance payment confirms your booking.
- Remaining balance is due 45 days before travel.
- Natural disasters or political unrest will be handled on a case-by-case basis.
- Valid for Indian nationals only. International guests may require special permits.
- Carry original government ID for all hotels.
- Secure payments and flexible policies.
- 24x7 emergency support during travel.
Subha Travels reserves the right to update package pricing and availability. For clarity or a custom quote, please connect with our support team.